Supreme Court bans sale of firecrackers in Delhi-NCR ahead of Diwali

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday suspended any further cracker sales till November 1 as part of an experimental move to gauge the effect of crackers on the alarming air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR. Critics, however, feel this would only lead to black marketing in crackers and higher prices.

The top court said the order suspending all licences should be tested once to see if there was any positive effect on air quality this Diwali. It would reassess the situation after the festival. The bench deferred an earlier order allowing partial sale of crackers this Diwali season in a graded approach to phase out crackers and curb pollution. Delhi is the most polluted city in the world where pollution levels are 29 times more than the safe levels prescribed by WHO, the court said. Both permanent and temporary licence-holders would not be able to sell any more crackers . Some lawyers, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said it was a classic case of judicial overreach while others dubbed it as anti-Hindu.

But health activists, espousing the cause of clean air, welcomed the move. Central Pollution Control Board counsel Vijay Panjwani said the order was welcome and would help people in Delhi-NCR region breathe easier. Air pollution levels in the region are usually five times the safe levels, he said. During Diwali, it goes up to 11 to 12 times.

“We are taught from childhood that Diwali is the festival of lights, not of crackers, noise or pollution,” Panjwani said. He said the order was based on ambient air quality standards prescribed by environment protection rules. Ambient air quality is measured in terms of particulate matter suspended in the air we breathe in, he explained. This should not be more than 60 micrograms per cubic meter (ug/m3) in any 24-hour cycle, he said. In Delhi NCR, it is around 300 and during Diwali it touches an alarming level of 700, he said.

“Burning of fire crackers during Diwali in 2016 had increased pm (particulate material) levels by three times (from usual levels), making Delhi the worst city in the world, in so far as air pollution is concerned. Direct and immediate cause thereof was burning of crackers during Diwali,” a three-bench, comprising Justices AK Sikri, Abhay Manohar Sapre and Ashok Bhushan, said.